The present invention relates to exercise and rehabilitation equipment, and, in particular, to a motorized chair for exercising and rehabilitating persons with physical disabilities.
Regular exercise regimens are important in the mediation and rehabilitation of people experiencing disabilities as a result of medical conditions or trauma. Typically, the programs are conducted by physical therapists, skilled in the techniques for restoring movement and strength capability. Inasmuch as these services are expensive and time limited, various approaches have been disclosed in the art for allowing a disabled person, without the direct aid of a therapist, to undertake machine paced movements, in the home or at a medical facility.
Many dedicated rehabilitation devices have focused on discrete extremity disabilities. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,898 to Brown, reciprocating and inclining steps are provided for exercising the lower limbs. The patient, however, must be able to stand on the apparatus and safely maintain balance during operation, oftentimes not possible in view of their medical condition or physical limitation. Other dedicated equipment such a disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,875 to Heaton allow the paced flexing of the ankles and toes while seated. U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,001 to Woods and U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,597 to Root disclose reciprocating members for exercising the feet from a seated position. Still other chair based equipment have provided pedal sets for replicating bicycling activity as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,280 to Crewe. Further, devices for pacing arm movements from a seated position are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,643 to Taylor.
While providing passive motion means for discrete limbs, the foregoing devices are not well suited for the general disabled population having disabilities affecting both upper and lower body limbs, such as stroke and paralyzed patients. A muscle exercise apparatus for the physically disabled for jointly exercising the lower body and upper body is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,752 wherein the arms and legs are moved in phase opposition. The equipment requires severe movement patterns that may be beyond the capabilities of many patients. Another seated exercising device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,841 to Martinez. The device is exceedingly large and complicated, limiting usage. Further, only simple reciprocating motions are provided, limiting the exercise of many deficient joints such as shoulders, ankles and elbows.
In view of the above limitations of the prior art, the present invention provides a motorized rehabilitation chair that permits selective use of systems for separately exercising the upper and lower body, and provides for comprehensive and adjustable articulation of all the limbs. The exercise chair includes a lower body exercise system that reciprocates the lower limbs and provides for exercise of the knees and ankles. An upper body exercise system is provided that orbits the user""s forearm for exercising of the shoulders and arms. The chair is provided with controls for independently actuating the systems and controlling their speed. The systems are also adjustable for altering the characteristics and demands of the paced movement path.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chair based exercise system selectively electing and pacing an exercise regimen for their involved limbs.
Another object is to provide a rehabilitation chair having a selective movement pattern for the lower limbs that exercises and flexes the knee and ankle joints.
A further object is to provide a rehabilitation chair having orbiting arm rests for reciprocating and elevating the forearms for exercising shoulder and arm joints.